Pope Francis has
I
1
spoken to all about the need for economic equality as well as political equality... the need to eliminate the huge gap between rich and poor and has criticized unrestrained global capitalism
2
exercised courageous leadership with his encyclical on the environment in which he asked everyone in the world to work to protect Mother Earth
3
apologized to S American Indians for the role of the Churh in siding with invading colonizers
4
visited maximum security prisons in Bolivia as well as hospitals, schools etc.
5
visited a slum in Paraguay
6
ordered the Vatican to jail proven pedophiles from priests to cardinals
7
said that divorce can be morally necessary
8
said to Catholics 'don't breed like rabbits'
9
said about gays 'who am I to judge? '
10
motivated Italians to work to help a flood of refugees as he spoke of the church as a church for the poor
11
said that priestly celibacy is not dogma
12
has given an example of simple living, forgoing the opulence of Vatican quarters and dining
13
has said divine love transcends all dogma
14
has told priests they are not better than their congregations and has cleaned the Vatican hierarchy of corrupt influences including the obstructionist Raymond Cardinal Burke of St Louis.
15
told priests to show greater compassion to Catholics who have divorced and remarried outside the church.
16
asks the world to emphasize the do's, not the don'ts
17
has said Catholic priests should forgive all who come to confession re abortion (in the past those who have had abortions have often been excommunicated)
18
allowed himself to be photographed carrying a sign promoting the return of the Falklands to Argentina
19
mediated the negotiations between Cuba and the United States to reestablish embassies
20 has amplified the call for universal abolition of the death penalty
21 has spoken courageously for peace to the warwaging nations of the world
22 reduced the complexity of the church hierarchy in eliminating the title of monsignor for priests under 65.
II
There are issues in which the traditions and teachings of the Catholic Church have opposition. Some of these issues are
1. prolife or prochoice
2. the male domination of the church hierarchy
3. traditional marriage vs gay rights (The Pope has said no one should judge amother)
4. the suppression of the vegetarian diet of Jesus (http: //veganchristianity.wordpress.com) ,
a diet followed initially by Franciscans, Trappists, Cistercians etc.
5. the canonization of a missionary Native Americans say was not compassionate
6. bullfighting... centuries ago a papal bull excommunicated any priest who attended the blood sport of bullfighting.... the church has not yet taken a stance against specific customs of animal cruelty, such as foxhunting.
God heal, protect and give energy to this saint who has had part of one lung removed.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem